A gang who tricked women away from their homes in Europe and forced them into prostitution in the UK will be sentenced tomorrow.

Sex traffickers led by Vishal Chaudhary were convicted of a series of offences relating to trafficking and sexual exploitation of women aged between 18 and 45.

Croydon Crown Court heard how flights were booked for at least 120 women, mostly from Hungary, who were delivered to brothels in Barnet, Camden, Waltham Forest, Haringey, Tower Hamlets, Islington, Enfield and other areas.

Most women were had responded to job adverts for administrators or carers.

Those who applied for these jobs found themselves being forced or coerced into prostitution when they arrived in the UK.

Some were made to have sex with up to 20 men a day.

The gang controlled the women with threats of violence and intimidation.

Krisztian Abel, a 33-year-old Hungarian national of Green Lane, Ilford acted as an enforcer.

He threatened and abused the girls if they did not do as they were told.

In one case, he forced a victim in her 20s to carry out sex acts with clients which left her with serious injuries, as punishment after she discovered the address of the brothel where she was being held.

The ring leader Vishal Chaudhary used various pseudonyms including Rahul Singh and Aresh Khan.

Until days before his arrest he lived in a plush apartment block in Pan Peninsula Square, Canary Wharf and drove a Mercedes convertible.

The Metropolitan Police Service's (MPS) Trafficking and Kidnap Unit arrested Chaudhary, Attila Kovacs and two others on January 30.

Krisztian Abel was and Kunal Chaudhary were arrested later.

A European Arrest Warrant was issued for Krisztian's sister, Szilvia Abel who was in Hungary.

As the investigation progressed, the Trafficking and Kidnap Unit formed a joint investigation team with Hungarian authorities, who traced Szilvia Abel and arrested her in Budapest. She was then extradited to the UK.

Hungarian police helped the Trafficking and Kidnap Unit to identify and trace victims who had returned to Hungary.

Detective Sergeant Alan Clark, of the Trafficking and Kidnap Unit, said: "Many of the victims have been deeply traumatised by what this gang did to them, and displayed signs of severe distress when they told us what had happened to them. One victim's graphic account actually brought the interpreter to tears.”

 

Convictions:

Krisztian Abel pleaded guilty in August 2013 to

Conspiracy to traffic persons into the UK for sexual exploitation

Conspiracy to traffic persons within the UK for sexual exploitation

Conspiracy to control prostitution for gain.

 

The remaining defendants pleaded not guilty and appeared for trial at Croydon Crown Court November 4 last year.

Following a five month trial - the longest trial for a human trafficking case investigated by the MPS - the jury returned the following verdicts:

 

Vishal Chaudhary, 35, an Indian National of Park View Gardens, Hendon was found guilty of: Conspiracy to traffic persons into the UK for sexual exploitation

Conspiracy to traffic persons within the UK for sexual exploitation

Conspiracy to control prostitution for gain

 

Attila Kovacs, 33, a Hungarian national of Highview Gardens, Barnet was found guilty of:

Conspiracy to traffic persons into the UK for sexual exploitation

 

Kunal Chaudhary, 32, a British national of Fog Lane, Manchester was found guilty of:

Conspiracy to traffic persons into the UK for sexual exploitation

Conspiracy to control prostitution

Concealing criminal property

 

Szilvia Abel, 24, a Hungarian national from Budapest was found guilty of:

Conspiracy to traffic persons into the UK

Conspiracy to traffic persons within the UK for sexual exploitation

Conspiracy to control prostitution for gain